Aug 11, 2026 · 33 min
South Carolina voters debate a Harris comeback
America, Actually: Who Wants Kamala to run again?
The discussion tests whether Kamala Harris’s 2024 defeat reflects a missed opportunity or a need for Democrats to move on.
- 1Supporters say Harris was disadvantaged by Biden’s late withdrawal and a shortened 2024 campaign.
- 2South Carolina voters weigh her support among Black voters and women against concerns about electability, criminal justice, and Palestine.
- 3John Morgan argues Democrats need a competitive primary and a fresh field beyond the Biden-Harris era.
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John Bryan Morgan makes the case that Democrats should move beyond the Biden-Harris era and let a competitive primary choose a fresh nominee.
The brief
Astead Herndon opens with the 2028 question: should Kamala Harris run again after a 2024 campaign shortened by Biden’s late withdrawal, or should Democrats look elsewhere?
At a Juneteenth picnic in North Charleston, South Carolina voters debate Harris’s prospects, balancing her support among Black voters and women against questions about electability and her record.
The voters also confront whether America is ready to elect a woman, particularly a Black woman, with racism and sexism shaping the argument over Harris’s chances.
John Bryan Morgan rejects another Biden-Harris-era nomination, doubts donors would support Harris, and calls for a competitive primary to produce a fresh Democratic field.
Morgan points to Andy Beshear, Mark Kelly, Wes Moore, and Gretchen Whitmer as alternatives, while Herndon’s returning tally appears to favor giving Harris another chance.
The episode leaves a central tension unresolved: is Harris’s defeat evidence of structural barriers and bad timing, or a reason for Democrats to start over?
Featuring
Astead Herndon
John Bryan Morgan
Kamala Devi Harris
Gavin Christopher NewsomListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.